Shoe heel and attachment means therefor



April 2, 1963 J. M. RAKUS 3,083,478

SHOE HEEL AND ATTACHMENT MEANS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gggg ll lNvENToR Jozef M. Ra kus ATTORNEY April 2, 1963 J. M. RAKUS 3,083,478

SHOE HEEL AND ATTACHMENT MEANS THEREFOR Y Filed Sept. '7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Ill/1.11110, 44

JNVENTOR Jozef M. Ra kus ATTORNEY April 2,- 1963 J.. M. RAKUs 3,083,478

SHOE HEEL AND ATTACHMENT MEANS THEREFOR Filed Sept. '7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 n ww F I G INVENTOR \67 Jozef M Rakus ATTORNEY United States Patent() 3,083,478 SHOE HEEL AND ATTACHMENT MEANS THEREFOR Jozef M. Rakus, R0. Box 1749, Washington, D.C. Filed Sept. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 136,532 13 Claims. (Cl. 36-36) 'I'hs invention relates to shoes generally, and more specifically to heels for shoes and the attachment structure for securing the same to shoes.

The present invention relates to an improved and modified form for attaching a heel to a shoe over my prior inventions described and claimed in co-pending patent application Serial No. 19,342, tiled April 1,1960, entitled Attachment Means for Shoe Heels, now Patent 3,041,- 746 granted July 3, 1962.

The primary object lof the present invention is to provide an improved structure for removably or adjustably attaching a heel to a heel base on a shoe.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved attaching structure for shoe heels whereby the heels from a pair of shoes may be interchanged one with the other without necessitating the eiforts of a skilled shoe repair craftsman.

A more specic object of this invention is to provide a shoe structure including a heel member attached in a simplified manner to the heel base structure of the shoe in vsuch a manner that adjustment and/ or removal of the heel from the heel base may be readily accomplished in the minimum amount of time.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a combination means for attaching a shoe heel member to a shoe heel base, such combination including inherent suction means in the application of the heel member to the heel base under a `deformation operation in combination with an interlock means peripherally arranged between the two members.

A further object of this invention is to provide an im-v proved method of attaching a shoe heel to a shoe heel base in a shoe construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments and details of construction of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view looking at the shoe heel member of the present invention attached to a heel base.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE l with the heel member removed from the heel base of the shoe.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view Iof the shoe heel member removed from the heel base of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the heel member of FIGURES land 3 in a non-stressed or detached form. FIGURE 5 is a vertical, longitudinal, central section through the heel and heel base as well as a portion of the shoe shown in fragmentary form of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the lines 6 6 of FIGURE 5. j

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary partial view in enlarged form illustrating the heel member of FIGURE 6 as it is about to be disengaged from a heel base during a suction break operation.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 5 with the attaching means between the heel member and the heel base removed so that the suction between the members is broken. i

' FIGURE 9 is a view taken at right angles through the heel and heel base of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE l0 is a modied form of heel base which may -be used with any form of the present invention.

CCL

FIGURE 1l is a sectional view of a modied form of the invention.

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the suction break and releasing means for the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE `1l.

FIGURE 13 is a'view somewhat similar to FIGURE 12 but illustrating the parts of the assembly of FIGURE l1 in the disassembled position.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along the lines 14--14 of FIGURE 11` of the passageway provided in the heel base for receivingthe suction maintaining or breaking valve means.

FIGURE 15 is a further modification of the invention illustrating a shoe in fragmentary form having a heel of elliptical form applied to the sole thereof.

FIGURE 16 is a view of the elliptical heel construction of FIGURE 15 in longitudinal, central sectional form'.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary view of a further modiiication of the present invention in perspective.

FIGURE 18 is a vertical, central section taken longitudinally of the shoe through the heel and heel base of FIGURE 17. i

FIGURE 19 is a view somewhat similar to FIGURE 18 showing the suction broken in the assembly so that the heel member is not in the engaged position with the heel base.

FIGURE 20 is a bottom plan view of the shoe of FIGURE l7 illustrating the heel base with the heel member` removed therefrom. p I

FIGURE 21 is an exploded view of the invention including the parts illustrated in lFIGURES 17 through 20. Referring now more particularly to the drawings and with particular regard to the preferred form illustrated in FIGURES l through 9, the shoe generally indicated at 10 is illustrated as having a heel base 11 secured thereto by means of screws 12 extending into the sole member 13. As is specifically illustrated in FIGURES 2, 8 and 9, the heel base 11 is provided -with a generally central re-l cess 14 defined by a peripheral wall 15 extending downwardly and inwardly with respect to the bottom wall 16 of said recess. Centrally located in the recess 14 is a downwardly extending boss 17 which is formed integrally with the bottom wall 16 of the heel base 11. Associated with, and particularly illustrated as being embedded in the boss section 17 is a threaded nut member 18 which is included for a purpose to be |later described.

The heel base 11 is further provided with 'a pair of depending projections 19 and 20 (FIGS. 2 :and 8) which engage in recesses 21 and 22 (FIG. 3`) of the heelv member 23 or 23 to prevent any tendency of the heel member to rotate relative to the heel base -upon assembly. The heel member is formed to normallyappear yas illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9. As` such, the member 23 or 23 is provided with lan upstanding portion 24 (FIGS. 8 and 9) having a peripheral wall 25 which is inwardly offset from the peripheral edge wall 26, the Wall 25 being generally vertically directed, as illustrated when the heelmember is not deformed.V The heel mem-I ber 23 or 23 is further provided with a central bore l2'7.` and a secondary recess 28 concentric with the recess 29 formed lalong substantially the entire upper surface of the -upstanding portion 24 of heel member 23 or 23. As is best illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6 fand 7, the heel base 11 is illustrated as receiving the deformed, opstand# ing portion 24 of the heel member 23' in flat surf-ace engaging relationship. The Wall 25 of the portion 24 inherently will de'form outwardly to engage land interlock universally about the recess 14 of the heelv base withV the downwardly and inwardly directed wall 15 of the recess. As the heel member is manually depressed into position so that the conically recessed area29 of the heel mem-beris brought into ush engagement with the bottom wall 16 of the heel base, the boss 17 of the heel base is made to engage in the secondary recess 28 of the heel member, an inherent suction :relationship will be produced which, if maintained, will cooperate with the interengaging or interlocking surfaces of the recess and the upstanding member Iot' the heel member whereby to hold the heel member to the base in a rm and simplied manner. To releasably maintain the suction so created between the members, a threaded bolt 30 is extended through the heel member into tight threaded engagement with the threaded nut means of the heel base. Since there is no way in which the connection will permit a suction break between the surfaces of the heel base and the heel member, 'the heel material about bore 27, FIGS. 4, 8 and 9, vsealing -tightly against bolt 30, an extremely satisfactory connection between such members is permanently maintained.

As will be Iobvious from the drawings, the heel member is preferably provided with a recessed area 31 or 31 to accommodate the enlarged bolt head 32 to avoid contact with the ground upon use yof the shoe. AIt will be noted .that the recess 31 is vented to atmosphere to avoid a suction being created by this recess 31 by a plurality of passageways 33 provided in the lower surface of the heel member 23. In FIGURE 5, one recess 33' in rubber heel 23' is illustrated.

It will be obvious to'one skilled in the art, therefore, that in this preferred form of the invention, it vwill only be necessary to unthread the bolt 30 from the nu-t 18 and to remove the same, `as illustrated in FIGURE 7, whereby to break the suction created between the upper surface `of either the member 23 of FIGURE l or 23 of FIGURE and the bottom wall surface of the recess of the lheel base 11. Under such 'a cle-threaded condition and suction break operation, the resiliency of the pliant material heel will cause it to return to its original produced form as illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9. Thus, when the user of a pair of shoes incorporating the invention wishes to switch heels from one shoe to the other to interchange a Worn heel area with an unworn area Von the unused heel side of a shoe, it will merely be necessary -to remove one bolt, interchange the heels and replace the bolt with a depressing operation to recreate the suction producing means. In the form of the invention in FIGURES 17 through 2l, it is merely necessary to release the bolt to permit rotation of the heel `as will be `hereinafter explained. Thus, -it is seen that it will not be necessary upon initial one over-wear vof a relatively new pair of shoe heels for a wearer to go 4to a shoe shop to obtain `a new pair `of heels Ior even to have the heels interchanged by a shoe repair man. In other words, an unskilled mechanic need only unthread the bolt to interchange the `heels to improve the walking characteristics of the shoe to which the invention is applied.

, From a `manufacturing standpoint, it is conceivable that a two-piecebase member might be preferable to the single base 1i1 of FIGURES l Ythrough 9. For this reason, and with reference to `FIGURE 10, the invention readily anticipates two piece construction Vsuch `as that illustrated by the parts 34, constituting the upper portion and bottom recess wall and the lower portion, 34 constituting the downwardly directed interlocking means for reception of a heel member according -to the form of the invention used.

Referring now to FIGURES ll through 13, a modiiied form of the invention is illustrated wherein a heel base member 35 is shown receiving in interlocked and suction maintaining relationship a heel member 36. As illustrated in FIGURE 13 in fragmentary form, the heel mem-ber 36 includes an upper'recess 37 of generallyr conical form, such recess forming the upper surface of the opstanding portion 38 of the heel member 36 dened by aV peripheral edge wall 39V inwardly olfset from the edge Wall 40 of the heel member. Coaxially arranged in the recess isi-an upstanding boss 41. The heel base 35 is provided with -a secondary recess 42 of such a diameter as to frictionally receive the upstanding boss 41 of the heel member 36. The heel base is provided with a primary recess 43, such recess being dened by inwardly and downwardly directed wall 44 in a manner similar to the form of the invention in FIGURES 1 through 9. When the heel member 36 is depressed upwardly, the upstanding portion 38 will deform to place the entire otherwise conical wall or recess 37 ush against the bottom wall 43 ofthe recess in the heel base 35. Under such circumstances with the boss 41 extending into the secondary recess l42 whereby a substantially Vcomplete evacuation of air is obtained, a suction will be produced, which, if maintained, will be sufficient to retain the shoe heel member against the heel base. Upon such depression, of course, the norm-ally vertical wall 39 will be inherently deected outwardly in a universal manner into an interlocking engagement with the inwardly and downwardly directed peripheral Wall 44 of the beel base primary recess. In order to maintain the suction, or to release the same, a passage 45 is .provided from the secondary recess 42 in heel base 35 to the atmosphere as is illustrated best in FIGURES 12. land 13. An air vent 45 connects passage `45 to recess 43. In order to render the form of the invention operable, a valve46 is provided. The valve has a threaded portion 47 which is receivable in a nut 48 in passage 45 whereby the valve member 46 may be extended inwardly or outwardly of the passage'45. The valve 46 is provided with a bul-bons valve portion 49 of a considerably larger diameter than the passage 45 whereby to block the passage of any air inwardlyV of the passage during `assembly of Ithe parts. Thus, a suction break will be completely avoided with -the parts assembled in a manner illustrated in FIGURE 1l as distinguished from the illustration in FIGURE 13 where the valve has not yet been engaged in the passage. It will also be noted that the tip 49' of valve 46 is pointed whereby to engage and pierce the upstanding boss 41 of the heel member 36, as is illustrated in FIGURE 1l, thusproviding a secondary retaining means for the heel member.

Thus, it will be .apparent to one skilled in the art that in order to practice the Yform of the invention illustrated in FIGURES l1 through 13, it isV only necessary for the user of a pair of shoes to back olf the valve member 46 to break the suction created between the heel member and the heel base. Likewise, breaking the suction lin the manner described will permit 4a disengagement of the interlock between the upstandng portion 38' of the heel member and the primary recess wall '44 .ofthe heel base. At this .point the wearer may take the heel from the shoe and replace it or may, in fact, interchange it with the heel of the other shoe should such an operation be desired.

As is further illustrated in FIGURES 1=1 through 14, the ground engaging portion of the heel member 36 is .provided with a recess 50 to allow greater flexibility of the heel member in attaining its suction creating characteristics. This recess 50 may be vented to atmosphere by means not shown to prevent a ground engaging suction which would be Idetrimental to the use :of the shoe heel.

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 15 :and 16, a shoe generally indicated at 51 has a sole section 527'. to which is secured by any suitable means a helically contoured shoe heel base 53. The heel base 53 is flat on its upper surface, and as illustrated, is received -against a at portion of the shoe sole 52, which is illustrated as being undercut at 52'.

' The heel base 53 may -be made of lightweight metal, such defining, and inwardly and downwardly directed wall 56. The base recess is also provided with a pair of detent members 57 to assist in `aligning the shoe heel member within the recess S4. A shoe heel member of pliant material, such as rubber or the tlike, is preformed to have an upper surface of a generally conical recessed formation in a like manner to that illustr-ated in the forms of the invention previously shown and described. The recessed area is illustrated in FIGURE 16 yas being completely depressed upwardly and outwardly -against the bottom Wall 55 and side wall 56 of the theel base 53. This recess is provided with a pair of cup-shaped recesses 58 Ito receive and cooperate with the -detent members 57 on the heel base. The upstanding portion 59 of the heel member is provided with a surrounding or peripheral wall 60 having an elliptical contour agreeing on expanded condition with the contour of the elliptical wall 56 of the heel base wall recess. The heel member 61 is provided with a recess 62 to Iaccommodate the head 63 of a securing bolt 64 in a manner similar to the prior described forms of the invention, Suitable vent means such as a plurality of passages 65 is provided to avoid creating a suction at the -ground engaging surface of the heel member. The theel Ibase 53 is provided with a threaded opening 66 located generally centrally of the elliptical recessed area to receive the end of bolt 64 in suction maintaining relationship. The `diameter of the bolt 64 is substantially the same `as the diameter of the bore through the heel member `61 whereby once the bolt 63 is engaged tightly in the threaded opening 66 of the heel base 53, the material of the heel member about the bore tightly engages the bolt and there is no topening whereby air may gain egress to the surface areas between the members. For this reason, a highly satisfactory connection `dependent in part on the interlock between the heel member and the heel base and in par-t on the suction between said members, is obtained.

The elliptical form of FIGURES 15 and 16 is particularly useful in that the user of a pair of shoes normally wears a neel member only in one edge area, generally on one side of the rear portion of the heel. With the elliptical form illustrated, each heel may take two positions on the same shoe prior to being transferred to the other shoe whereby the wearer may successfully employ the heel member 61 approximately four times the length of time normally taken in the use of la pair of shoes before heel repair becomes desirable. Likewise, as in the other forms of the invention, the wearer need only remove the bolt 64 in order to break the suction to make the necessary adjustment.

Now referring to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 17 through 21, there is illustrated in partial form a shoe member 67 having a sole 68 to which is attached a heel base 69. The heel base includes a forwardly positioned section 70 having a thickness substantially equal to the heel thickness of the heel member to be applied. The heel base member has a rearward section 71 of a lesser thickness than the heel, which includes a recess 72 defined by an inwardly and downwardly directed peripheral wall 73. Embedded in or otherwise secured with the heel base 69 is a threaded attaching means 74. The rear surface 75 of the forward portion 70 of the heel base 69 is arcuate in form to agree with the contour of a generally circular heel member 76. The heel member 7 6, of normally non-deformed shape as illustrated in FIGURE 21, is provided with an upstanding portion 77 defining on its upper surface a conical recess 78, with such recess extending from the edge wall of 79 of the upstanding portion to the apex of the conical recess. As illustrated in FIGURE 21, the upstanding wall 791, dem'ng the peripheral edge of the conical recess, is generally or substantially vertical. Upon application of the heel member 76 to the heel base 69, the central portion of the heel member is depressed inwardly to effectively remove the recess 73` and depress the wall 79 outwardly into an interlocking engagement with the wall 73v of the 6 circular recess 72 in heel base 69. A threaded bolt 80v is utilized as in the other forms of the invention to extend through a bore 81 in the heel member 76 to engage with the threaded means 74 of the heel base i69 whereby to avoid a suction break.

In the use of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 17 through 211, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that when an edge portion of a heel becomes worn, it is only necessary for the wearer to remove the bolt and break the suction whereby to permit the heel member to return to its normal dished form as in FIGURE 21. With the innerlock thus removed and the suction broken, the wearer may shift the heel member 76 about the bolt axis suiiiciently to present a brand new or unused heel edge area to the normal wear portion for the particular person wearing the shoes. With this form of the invention, it is quite obvious that a maximum use of a heel member will be obtained.

Other modifications of this invention as to specific shapes and details of construction which would be obvious to one skilled in the art are deemed to be Within the general scope of this invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A heel construction for a shoe including a sole which comprises a deformable heel member, said heel member including a main body portion and an upstanding portion oset inwardly from the periphery of the body portion and said upstanding portion being provided with a substantially conical, recessed upper surface extending from the peripheral edge wall of the said upstanding portion to the center thereof, said edge wall being substantially vertical in the non-deformed condition of the heel member, said heel member being further provided with a substantially centrally located bore, a heel base secured to the shoe sole, said heel base being provided with a` recess having a flat bottom wall and a downwardly and inwardly sloping peripheral wall, a threaded nut means associated with the heel base and located generally at the central point of the heel base recess, and a threaded bolt extending through the bore of the heel member to engage the nut means of the heel base, whereby upon deformation of the heel so that the upper conical recess is flattened against the bottom wall of the heel base recess, an interlock is obtained between the recess wall of the heel base and the edge wall of the upstanding heel portion now deformed outwardly from the vertical, and a suction is produced and releasably maintained by threading the bolt into the nut means of the heel base.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a recess is provided on the ground engaging surface of the heel member to accommodate the bolt and where means is provided to prevent any suction being created between said bolt accommodating recess and the ground. l

3. A heel construction for a shoe, including a sole which comprises a deformable heel member, said heel member including a main body portion and an upstanding portion offset inwardly from the periphery of the body portion, said upstanding portion being provided with a substantially conical, recessed upper surface extending from the edge wall of the said upstanding portion to the center thereof, and said recessed surface being provided with a concentric second recess about the apex of the conically recessed surface, said edge wall being substantially vertical in the nondeformed condition of the heel member, said heel member being further provided with a bore located on the axis of both said recessed portions, a heel base secured to the shoe sole, said heel base being provided with a recess having a flat bottom wall and a downwardly and inwardly sloping peripheral wall, said heel base being further provided with a downwardly extending boss located centrally of the heel base recess and being integral therewith, the diameter of the boss being substantially equal to the second recess of the heel member, a threaded nut means associated with the boss of the heel base, and a threaded bolt extending through the bore of the heel member to engage the nut means, whereby upon deformation of the heel so that thegupper conical recess is tlattened against the bottom wall of the heel base recess, an interlock is obtained between the recess wall o f the heel base and the edge wall of the upstanding heel portion now deformed outwardly from the vertical, the -boss of the heel base is engaged in the second recess of the heel member, and a suction is produced and'releasably maintained by threading the bolt into the nut means of theI heel base.

4. The invention according toclaim 2 wherein a recess is provided on the ground engaging surface of the heel member to accommodate the bolt and where means is provided to prevent any suction being created between said 4bolt accommodating recess and the ground. l

5. The invention according to claim 2 wherein the peripheral wall of the boss of the heel base is of a mating contourwith the peripheral wall of the second recess of the heel member when the heel and heel base members are in assembled relationship.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein a recess is provided on the ground engaging surface of the heel member to accommodate the bolt and where means is provided to prevent any suction being created between said bolt accommodating recess and the ground.

7. A heel construction for a shoe including a sole which comprises a deformable heel member of elliptical contour, said heel member including a main body portion and an npstanding elliptical portion oiiset inwardly from the periphery of the body portion and said upstanding portion being'provided with a substantially conical, recessed up-V per surface from the peripheral edge wall of the upstanding portion to the center thereof, said edge wall being substantially vertical in; the non-deformed condition of the heel member, said heel member being further provided with a substantially centrally located bore, a heel base secured to the shoe sole, said heel base being provided with a recess having a generally flat bottom wall and a downwardly and inwardly sloping peripheral wall of elliptical contour similar to the contour of the edge wall of the heel member, centrally positioned threaded means in the bottom wall of the heel base recess, and a threaded bolt extending through the lbore of the heel member to engage the threaded means of the heel base, whereby upon deformation'of the heel so that the conical recess is ilattened against the bottom wall of the heel base recess, an interlock is obtained between the elliptical recess walls of the members as the heel edge wall is inherently deformed outwardly against and beneath the inwardly di-k rected wall of the heel base recess and a suction is produced and releasably maintainedby threading the bolt into the threadedmeans of theheel base.

8. The invention according to claim 7, wherein a recess is provided on the ground engaging surface of the' heel member to accommodate the bolt andwhere means is provided to preventany suctionbeing created between said bolt accommodating Vrecess and the ground.

9. A heel construction for a shoe including a sole which comprises 'a deformable'heel member, said heel member including a main body portion and an opstanding portion oiset inwardly from the periphery of the body portion and said upstanding portion being provided with a substantially conical, recessed upper Vsurface from the pe ripheral edge wall of the said opstanding portion toward the center thereof,'said edge wall being substantially vertical in the non-deformed condition of the heel member,

said recessed portion about the axial center being provided with an integral upstanding boss, a heel base secured to `the shoe sole; said heel base lbeing provided with a recess having a generally at bottom wall and a downwardly and inwardly'sloping peripheral wall, said heel base recess being provided with a concentric inner recess of substantially the same diameter as the upstanding boss on the heel member, a passage in said heel base extending between said inner recess and the periphery of the heel base, and suction maintaining and releasing means located in said passage, whereby upon deformation of the heel so that the upper conical recess is flattened against the bottom wail of the heel base recess, and the boss is engaged in the inner recess, an interlock is obtained between the recess walls of the members and a suction is produced and releasably Amaintained by the means in said passage.

1G. The invention according to claim 9 wherein the suction maintaining and releasing means is a valve threaded into the lift passage in an adjustable manner.

11. The invention according to claim 10 wherein the valve has a pointed extremity to engage and hold the upstanding boss on the heel member.

l2. A heel construction for a shoe including a sole which comprises a deformable heel member of circular form, said heel member including a main body portion and an upstanding portion odset inwardly from the periphery of the body portion, and said upstanding portion being provided with a substantially conical, recessed upper surface fromV the peripheral edge wall of the said upstanding portion to the center thereof, said edge wall being substantially vertical in the non-deformed condition of the heel member, said heel member being further provided with a substantially centrally located bore, a heel base secured to the shoe sole, said heel base including a forward portion relative to the shoe of `a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the heel member and rearward portion of .reduced thickness, including a recess with an inwardly and downwardly inclined wall to receive the upstanding portion of the circular heel member, threaded means associated with the heel base and located generally at the central point of the heel base recess, and a threaded bolt extending through the bore of the heel member to engage the threaded means of the heel base whereby upon deformation of the heel so that the upper conical recess is attened in the heel base recess, an interlock is obtained between the inwardly inclined wall of the heel base recess and the edge wall of the upstanding portion of the heel member as the latter is inherently deiiected universally outward from the normally vertical position anda suction Vis'produced and releasably maintained by threading the bolt into the threaded means of the heel base.

13."The inventionV according to claim 12 wherein the forward portion of the heel base has a rear vertical surface conforming to the circular contour of the heel member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED vSTATES PATENTS 2,121,353 Hustad e June 2-1, 1938 2,122,108 Modlin June 28, 1938 V2,421,792 Levine June 10,1947 2,440,404 Johansson Apr. 27, 1948 2,738,599 Phillips Mar. 20, 1956 

1. A HEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR A SHOE INCLUDING A SOLE WHICH COMPRISES A DEFORMABLE HEEL MEMBER, SAID HEEL MEMBER INCLUDING A MAIN BODY PORTION AND AN UPSTANDING PORTION OFFSET INWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERY OF THE BODY PORTION AND SAID UPSTANDING PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL, RECESSED UPPER SURFACE EXTENDING FROM THE PERIPHERAL EDGE WALL OF THE SAID UPSTANDING PORTION TO THE CENTER THEREOF, SAID EDGE WALL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL IN THE NON-DEFORMED CONDITION OF THE HEEL MEMBER, SAID HEEL MEMBER BEING FURTHER PROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY LOCATED BORE, A HEEL BASE SECURED TO THE SHOE SOLE, SAID HEEL BASE BEING PROVIDED WITH A RECESS HAVING A FLAT BOTTOM WALL AND A DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY SLOPING PERIPHERAL WALL, A THREADED NUT MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEEL BASE AND LOCATED GENERALLY AT THE CENTRAL POINT OF THE HEEL BASE RECESS, AND A THREADED BOLT EXTENDING THROUGH THE BORE OF THE HEEL MEMBER TO ENGAGE THE NUT MEANS OF THE HEEL BASE, WHEREBY UPON DEFORMATION OF THE HEEL SO THAT THE UPPER CONICAL RECESS IS FLATTENED AGAINST THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE HEEL BASE RECESS, AN INTERLOCK IS OBTAINED BETWEEN THE RECESS WALL OF THE HEEL BASE AND THE EDGE WALL OF THE UPSTANDING HEEL PORTION NOW DEFORMED OUTWARDLY FROM THE VERTICAL, AND A SUCTION IS PRODUCED AND RELEASABLY MAINTAINED BY THREADING THE BOLT INTO THE NUT MEANS OF THE HEEL BASE. 